EREF seeks landfill emissions measurement improvements

Originally Posted on: Waste Today 

Posted By: Brian Taylor

The Environmental Research & Education Foundation (EREF), Raleigh, North Carolina, has announced a project intended to aggregate data related to direct measurement of landfill emissions. The research is taking place in partnership with Florida State University (FSU), with Dr. Tarek Abichou of FSU’s College of Engineering as the principal investigator on the project.

“This project will combine data from a variety of direct emission measurement technologies, with some sites being measured for emissions using multiple technologies over the same time frames to allow inter-comparison of results,” EREF says.

The project aims to make “a significant contribution” in the methodologies of providing estimates of methane emissions rates, the foundation adds, with the work being conducted at FSU designed to provide scientifically validated landfill emission measurement methodologies and improve protocols for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions inventories for landfills.

“It is imperative we improve landfill emissions measurement methodologies and significant data is needed at multiple sites,” says Bryan Staley, president and CEO of EREF. “Such data is critical in order to validate the accuracy and variability of direct measurement strategies so we may better understand how to be effective in lowering GHG emissions.”

Staley adds, “EREF is proud to support this project and empower credible science to lead the way toward improving sustainability in waste management practices.”

Abichou, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at FSU, says “The overall objective of this project is to contribute in the efforts of converting ambient air methane plume and concentrations monitoring, acquired via ground, aerial, or even satellite technologies. This will estimate methane emission fluxes, in mass per time for a single facility. Specifically, the project will: 1) provide scientifically validated methodologies that measure emissions from landfills; and 2) revise and develop protocols for GHG emissions inventories for landfills. We also hope that some of the lessons learned during this project will be extended to measuring emissions from other sectors.”

The program is estimated to be complete by the end of this year. Landfill operators interested in participating can contact Abichou at abichou@eng.famu.fsu.edu.